Posted on 07/21/2006 10:52:02 AM PDT by presidio9
"Son of Sam" serial killer David Berkowitz has been denied parole for the third time, with the state parole board citing concerns for public safety in refusing to release the gunman who terrorized New York City in the 1970s.
The decision followed a hearing that the 53-year-old Berkowitz, imprisoned since 1978, refused to attend. The board noted his prison programming "appears commendable" while his disciplinary record the past two years contained only one report. He will be eligible for parole again in two years.
"Your instant offenses obviously displayed a cold disregard for innocent human life, and the public safety in general," the three-member board said Tuesday. "Your crimes were apparently premeditated, totally unprovoked, and calculated to place the residents of greater New York City in an unbelievable state of fear."
Berkowitz, formerly of Yonkers, is serving six consecutive 25-years-to-life sentences at the maximum-security Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, 81 miles northwest of New York City. The former postal employee murdered six people and wounded seven others beginning July 29, 1976, in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. But it wasn't until the fourth attack in January 1977 that police noticed a pattern and dubbed Berkowitz the ".44-caliber killer."
He left a note at the sixth crime scene that read: "I am a monster. I am the Son of Sam." Sam was a neighbor of the killer. Berkowitz said he was taking demonic orders through Sam's dog.
Berkowitz has since said that he became a Christian. The Web site (http://www.forgivenforlife.com) contains messages of remorse. Berkowitz isn't allowed to post messages to the Web site from prison, but provided typewritten messages that were posted. The most recent entry, dated April 2005, cited two recent shooting sprees by young gunmen.
"For many troubled young persons having a gun, mixed with feelings of
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Why on earth is he even being considered?
Huh?
Why on earth is the warden allowing him a forum?
Now I see it was just an act.
why do you say that?
I wonder if his dog advised him to put in another appeal for parole.
I don't know. It wasn't my decision. I just listened to a radio show on the way to work. That is the extent of my involvment.
The decision followed a hearing that the 53-year-old Berkowitz, imprisoned since 1978, refused to attend.
Thanks for clarifying that. I believe in redemption. If he accepts responsibility for what he did, then he has my respect. You pointed out that he evidently does.
I think they have these hearings regardless of whether the prisoner wants them or not.
ConfusedAndLovingIt pointed that out. I expressed my apologies in post 12.
I thought the article said he did not attend the hearing? Which implies to me he is not interested in getting out.
I expressed my apologies in posts 12 and 13. I am going to remove my original post so people stop correcting me.
Berkowitz says he is now a Christian and ministers to the prison population.
I believe him.
When you figure out how to remove your post from a Free Republic thread please let me know how you did it.
One more Democratic voter unfairly kept from the voting booths by forces he can't help. :(
I heard an interview with him and he pretty much said he belongs in there and is lucky to be alive.
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